Book Review: Title: Participatory Evaluation up Close: An Integration of Research-Based Knowledge
| Author | David Gilchrist |
| Published date | 01 March 2017 |
| Date | 01 March 2017 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/1035719X1701700107 |
| Subject Matter | Book Review |
B O O K r E v I E W Evaluation Journal of Australasia Vol 17 | No 1 | 2017 | p p . 5 1 – 5 2
Title: Participatory evaluation up close: An integration of research-
based knowledge
■ Authors
J. Bradley Cousins, Jill Anne Chouinard
■ Publisher/year
Information Age Publishing, 2012
■ Extent/type
306 pages, paperback / hardcover / ebook
■ Price
A$53.95/NZ$56.52 paperback, A$100.77/NZ$105.67 hardcover from Information Age
Publishing, www.infoagepub.com. See website for latest prices and eBook retailers.
■ ISBN
978-1-61735-801-2 / 978-1-61735-802-9 / 978-1-61735-803-6
Cousins and Chouinard have undertaken an ambitious
developed world during the last decade or so. Government
project in bringing this book to fruition. It is ambitious
agencies funding human services delivery and other forms
for two reasons. Firstly, the idea of participatory
of activity have given rhetorical primacy to two key policy
evaluation is, of itself, a very complex one. The concept
frameworks entitled person centred care and individualised
of evaluating programs and projects with the involvement
funding. They have done this within a broader policy
of those impacted by the work is philosophically
environment focused on the achievement of outcomes
attractive but practically fraught in many people’s minds.
rather than the focus on outputs which has been the
Governments, not-for-profits and even commercial
traditional emphasis in acquitting government funding.
concerns are often keen to have evaluations undertaken
Of course, the application of participatory evaluation
that give them direction and feedback relating to projects
extends beyond the social services / civil society
and programs but are often also keen to ensure they have
developmental framework that is most often associated
ultimate control in terms of the outcome. Therefore, it is
with such evaluations. However, there is no doubt, and the
an ambitious effort to seek to bring the nuances of this
authors...
To continue reading
Request your trial